Holidays Are Over…Now What? How to Start 2026 Strong Financially

Home Blog Holidays Are Over…Now What? How to Start 2026 Strong Financially

Posted On: December 29, 2025 by Peoples Bank of Kankakee County in: Saving

The holiday season is always full of fun, family, and sometimes a little financial stress. If you’re feeling the post-holiday crunch, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Now that the decorations are starting to come down and the gifts are unwrapped, it’s the perfect time to review your spending and plan for a strong financial & healthy start to 2026.

Here are some practical tips to help you get back on track:

1. Review Your Holiday Spending

Take a close look at your holiday purchases such as gifts, travel, meals, and extra expenses. Did you stick to your budget, or did things get a little out of control? Knowing where your money went is the first step toward better planning for next year.

Tip: Categorize your spending so you can see which areas were higher than expected. This makes it easier to adjust your budget for 2026.

2. Pay Down Any Holiday Debt

If you used credit cards or loans to cover holiday expenses, make a plan to pay them off as soon as possible. High-interest debt can linger and impact your financial goals if left unchecked.

Tip: Consider making extra payments in January or setting up an automated payment plan to avoid unnecessary interest.

If you’re carrying balances on high-interest credit cards, it may also be worth exploring whether you have equity in your home that could work to your advantage. For some homeowners, consolidating debt into a home equity line of credit can provide a much lower interest rate and a more manageable repayment structure. A HELOC isn’t right for everyone, but it can be a smart tool when used responsibly—especially if your goal is to simplify payments, reduce interest costs, and regain financial momentum after the holiday.

3. Set Your Financial Goals for 2026

A new year is the perfect opportunity to set goals for saving, investing, or paying down debt. Think about what’s most important to you. Is it building an emergency fund, saving for a vacation, or preparing for a major purchase?

Tip: Start small and be realistic. Even setting aside $50–$100 per month can add up over the year.

4. Revisit Your Budget

With the major holiday behind you, it’s a great time to revisit your budget. Adjust for any unexpected expenses from the season and plan for upcoming bills or savings goals. A clear budget will help you stay on track and reduce financial stress in 2026.

Tip: Use budgeting tools or apps to simplify the process and track your progress throughout the year.

5. Take Advantage of Banking Tools

Peoples Bank of Kankakee County offers online and mobile banking* tools that make it easy to monitor your accounts, transfer funds, and set up alerts. These tools help you stay organized and make smarter financial decisions in the new year.

Tip: Set up notifications for low balances, upcoming payments, or large transactions to stay in control of your finances.

Bottom Line

The holidays may be coming to an end, but a financially healthy year is just beginning. By reviewing your spending, paying down debt, setting goals, and using the right banking tools, you’ll start 2026 strong. You don’t have to do it all alone, our team is here to help you reach your goals in 2026 and beyond. Stop by your local Peoples Bank branch in Kankakee, Bourbonnais, or Manteno - or give us a call at 815-936-7600!

*Data rates may apply

An overdraft occurs when you do not have enough money in your account to cover a transaction, but we pay it anyway. We can cover your overdrafts in two different ways:

We have standard overdraft practices that are available after your account has been open for 30 days and as long as you maintain your account in good standing.
We also offer an overdraft protection plan, Overdraft Protection Sweep, a link to a savings account. It may be less expensive than our standard overdraft practices. To learn more, ask us about this plan.

This notice explains our standard overdraft practices.

What are the standard overdraft practices that come with my account?

After your account has been open for 30 days and as long as you maintain your account in good standing, we do authorize and pay overdrafts for the following types of transactions:

Checks and other transactions made using your checking account number
Automatic bill payments

We do not authorize and pay overdrafts for the following types of transactions unless you ask us to (see below):

ATM transactions
Everyday debit card transactions

We pay overdrafts at our discretion, which means we do not guarantee that we will always authorize and pay any type of transaction.

If we do not authorize and pay an overdraft, your transaction will be declined.

What fees will I be charged if Peoples Bank of Kankakee County pays my overdraft?

Under our standard overdraft practices:

We will charge you a fee of up to $30 each time we pay an overdraft.
The maximum daily overdraft fee per presentment or item paid using the Overdraft Reserve Program is $150.00 per day.
No per item handling fee will be charged on de minimis overdrafts. De minimis overdraft for this policy means transactions that overdraw your account by $30 or less.
There is an overdraft fee of $5 per day that will be charged beginning the 4th consecutive business day your account is overdrawn.

Nonsufficient funds (NSF) fees - if an item drafted by you (such as a check) or a transaction you set up (such as a preauthorized transfer) is presented for payment in an amount that is more than the amount of money in your account and we decide not to pay the item or transaction, you agree that we can charge you an NSF fee for returning the payment. Be aware that such an item or payment may be presented multiple times by the merchant or other payee until it is paid, and that we do not monitor or control the number of times a transaction is presented for payment. You agree that we may charge you an NSF fee each time a payment is presented if the amount of money in your account is not sufficient to cover the payment, regardless of the number of times the payment is presented.

PAYMENT ORDER OF ITEMS - The law permits us to pay items drawn on your account in any order (for purposes of this section "items" means checks, orders and electronic transactions). To assist you in handling your account with us, we are providing you with the following information regarding how we process those items. When processing checks and orders drawn on your account our policy is to pay lower numbered checks and orders in numerical sequence, but electronic transactions are paid first in the order received. The order in which items are paid is important if there is not enough money in your account to pay all of the items that are presented. There is no policy that is favorable in every instance. If the smallest items are paid first, you may have fewer NSF or overdraft fees, but the largest, and perhaps more important items (such as rent or mortgage payments) might not be paid. However, if the largest items are paid first, your most important items might be paid but it may increase the overdraft or NSF fees if funds are not available to pay all of the items. We think our policy attains a reasonable balance between minimizing additional costs to you and paying your more important items. We encourage you to make careful records and practice good account management. This will help you to avoid creating items without sufficient funds and incurring the resulting fees.

What if I want Peoples Bank of Kankakee County to authorize and pay overdrafts on my ATM and everyday debit card transactions?

If you also want us to authorize and pay overdrafts on ATM and everyday debit card transactions after your account has been open for 30 days, you may opt in.

You have an ongoing right to change this consent at any time. If your overdraft privilege has been revoked for any reason, the opt-in or opt-out selection may not apply. Please contact your nearest office for more information.

Alternate ways to Opt In/Out or make changes:

By Phone. Our Customer Care Representatives can be reached at 815-936-7600.
By Mail. Peoples Bank of Kankakee County, 333 E. Court Street, Kankakee, IL 60901
In Person. Please visit your local office and ask a representative to help you decide which plan is best for you.